More measures for crash site

Additional road safety measures at an accident blackspot have been given the green light by East Dunbartonshire Council.

But they still fall short of the measures campaigned for by Kirkintilloch residents to make their street safe.

At a recent meeting of the council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee, councillors agreed to install a permanent vehicle activated sign on Bankhead Road, the scene of two major crashes at its junction with Waterside Road over the past two years.

But so far, the installation of speed bumps at Bankhead Road in Kirkintilloch – campaigned for by local residents and supported by councillors – have still to be implemented.

Stephen Wright and his family were lucky to escape with their lives after a car smashed into their home at Waterside Road in October 2014.

A 23-year-old man was jailed for 18 months after being charged with driving at excessive speed, failing to slow down and losing control of the vehicle.

Local residents have been joined by the Herald, local MP Stuart McDonald and Councillor Jack Young, to campaign for traffic calming measures in the area.

At a meeting of the council in October 2015, councillors agreed that speed bumps should be installed.

But concern was expressed by families over the length of time for the road safety measures to be put in place.

Kirkintilloch East Councillor Stewart MacDonald said a statutory consultation would need to happen and likely to take 18 months.

One resident told the Herald: “We don’t want the installation of speed bumps to be put on the back burner.”

Former head of neighbourhood services at EDC, Grace Irvine said last year bus providers may object to speed bumps.

But families said speed humps were in place at Burns Road at Harestanes Primary, which is part of a bus route.

This week, a spokesperson for EDC said: “The council will now consult with the statutory consultees regarding the opportunity to install speed bumps on Bankhead Road.”

He added that the vehicle activated sign followed on from the installation of Give Way warning signs and rumble strips on the approach to the junction.

Councillor MacDonald, Convenor of the Neighbourhood Services Committee for East Dunbartonshire Council, said: “The council takes road safety concerns extremely seriously and we’ve been actively engaged with Police Scotland to discuss options to reduce any risk to residents and other road users from speeding drivers.

“The council also commissioned an independent assessment to examine the best solution to inhibit speeding and it recommended a number of physical measures which we implemented. It was encouraging to hear the results of a speed survey carried out before and after the installation of the traffic management measures showed a decrease in vehicle speeds and has had a positive effect on driver behaviour on Bankhead Road.”

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